Comments on: Come on, NGOs, raise your game! http://www.globaldashboard.org/2009/03/26/come-on-ngos-raise-your-game/ global risks and how to respond to them, edited by Alex Evans and David Steven Fri, 19 Mar 2010 19:48:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Phil Green http://www.globaldashboard.org/2009/03/26/come-on-ngos-raise-your-game/comment-page-1/#comment-9109 Phil Green Sun, 29 Mar 2009 13:30:24 +0000 http://www.globaldashboard.org/?p=8699#comment-9109 See also 'How to go beyond politics-as-usual' http://sca21.wikia.com/wiki/Forum:How_to_go_beyond_politics-as-usual (Sorry about the ads, signed in users get an ad free version) See also ‘How to go beyond politics-as-usual’
http://sca21.wikia.com/wiki/Forum:How_to_go_beyond_politics-as-usual
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]]> By: Alex Wilks http://www.globaldashboard.org/2009/03/26/come-on-ngos-raise-your-game/comment-page-1/#comment-9106 Alex Wilks Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:50:40 +0000 http://www.globaldashboard.org/?p=8699#comment-9106 Agree it is often hard for the larger NGOs to react quickly or to get ahead of the political agenda. Some other reasons: 1) many NGOs have smallish campaigns and media teams attached to very large fund-raising and operations departments, yet the whole senior managemetn often needs to sign off on major position changes. 2) following times when NGOs were not listened to or taken seriously by governments or international institutions and ran 'outsider' campaigns to get attention, demand transparency, etc, now there is so much accesss that people are sometimes afraid to be cast out into the cold again, so are careful not to message too far beyond political orthodoxy. 3) some are rightly afraid of Charity Commission or similar restrictions on 'political' activities. That said there are many large NGOs which have been evolving their approach to several financial regulation/globalisation issues in recent months. And Put People First is one example of organisations forging new alliances and trying to work together differently. Time for Change, an emerging initiative at the European level is trying something similar. Agree it is often hard for the larger NGOs to react quickly or to get ahead of the political agenda. Some other reasons:
1) many NGOs have smallish campaigns and media teams attached to very large fund-raising and operations departments, yet the whole senior managemetn often needs to sign off on major position changes.
2) following times when NGOs were not listened to or taken seriously by governments or international institutions and ran ‘outsider’ campaigns to get attention, demand transparency, etc, now there is so much accesss that people are sometimes afraid to be cast out into the cold again, so are careful not to message too far beyond political orthodoxy.
3) some are rightly afraid of Charity Commission or similar restrictions on ‘political’ activities.

That said there are many large NGOs which have been evolving their approach to several financial regulation/globalisation issues in recent months. And Put People First is one example of organisations forging new alliances and trying to work together differently. Time for Change, an emerging initiative at the European level is trying something similar.

]]> By: Tom http://www.globaldashboard.org/2009/03/26/come-on-ngos-raise-your-game/comment-page-1/#comment-9098 Tom Thu, 26 Mar 2009 17:56:12 +0000 http://www.globaldashboard.org/?p=8699#comment-9098 Your final paragraph seems to sum up what is wrong with NGOs at the moment. The biggest challenges of the next decade amongst developing nations will be over natural resources such as food, water and energy. These are the basics without which a country cannot survive, let along attempt to develop or improve living standards. In my experience many NGOs are still stuck in environmental / climate change mind set, which although admirable, seems odd considering that the initial goals of agenda setting in this regard have been achieved. Make poverty history followed previous campaigns such as Jubilee 2000, as well as the Millennium Development Goals, of which poverty reduction was a central component. Funding will remain tight as organizations compete for the same funds with the same proposals, and new ideas are needed to access donations and recapture the spirit of volunteers and supporters. Your final paragraph seems to sum up what is wrong with NGOs at the moment. The biggest challenges of the next decade amongst developing nations will be over natural resources such as food, water and energy. These are the basics without which a country cannot survive, let along attempt to develop or improve living standards.

In my experience many NGOs are still stuck in environmental / climate change mind set, which although admirable, seems odd considering that the initial goals of agenda setting in this regard have been achieved. Make poverty history followed previous campaigns such as Jubilee 2000, as well as the Millennium Development Goals, of which poverty reduction was a central component.

Funding will remain tight as organizations compete for the same funds with the same proposals, and new ideas are needed to access donations and recapture the spirit of volunteers and supporters.

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